


Like A Dream, It's A Fear

by likeasugarcube



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-13
Updated: 2012-09-13
Packaged: 2017-11-14 03:36:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/510903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeasugarcube/pseuds/likeasugarcube
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frank is dubious about pizza-and-horror-movie night at Mikey's new place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like A Dream, It's A Fear

Frank wakes up in New Jersey. Six hours later he steps off a plane in California. Gerard picks him up from LAX. The windows are rolled down and the sun shines too brightly into his eyes as they drive back to Gerard's place. His stomach grumbles, telling him it's time for lunch, but the clock on Gerard's dashboard says it's only 9:40

They finally pull into Gerard's driveway what feels like ages later and Frank grabs his bag from the backseat. Gerard bumps his shoulder as they go inside and Frank looks up.

"Hey," Gerard says softly, "You have a bad flight or something?"

Frank shakes his head.

"No. I just. Fuck – you know I hate it here."

Gerard laughs.

"You've been here ten minutes, that's hardly enough time for LA to get you down."

It eats at Frank that Gerard doesn't understand what he means. Frank's always equated LA with places like Vegas, or possibly the circus. It's fun for a few hours of glitz and bright lights, but it isn't a place where real people live. It shouldn't be where his best friends live.

Frank doesn't say anything more about it. Gerard makes him a sandwich and they spend the rest of the day lounging around the house.

\-- 

Frank's been at Gerard's place for two weeks. Mikey comes over most days and they've been talking about the new album a lot. Frank can see the excitement in Gee's eyes and it makes him nostalgic for their younger days in Gerard's basement. Frank isn't the type to get nostalgic. It makes him feel old.

\-- 

Gee and Lyndsey are out running errands one afternoon and Frank has the house to himself. He's stretched out on the sofa, bored and flipping through one of the comics on the coffee table when his phone buzzes with a text.

It's Mikey.

_Pizza & movies at my place, 7pm, be there._

Frank laughs and text him back.

_better pick me up if you want me to show up for our date_

\-- 

They start the night out with the Romeros and the pizza gets there in the middle of _Night of the Living Dead_. Mikey sets the boxes down on the counter in the kitchen and Frank just sighs.

"This is what passes for pizza out here?" he says as Mikey grabs plates for the two of them.

"It's not ideal," Mikey says. "But I haven't died from it yet."

Frank shakes his head sadly.

"Just pretend you're visiting a far away planet and they want to make one your earth dishes to remind you of home. But instead you get this." Mikey gestures towards the slice on his plate.

"Is that what you told Gerard when he first moved here?" Frank asks.

Mikey nods.

"Pretty much."

Frank laughs and takes his slice. They go back to their zombies and Frank hesitantly takes his first bite. As a food substance, it's not that bad, but it's not pizza.

\-- 

The credits are rolling on _Freaks_ and Frank is resting his head in Mikey's lap. He was fighting the urge to close his eyes for the last twenty minutes. He sits up and stretches. It's late. They should probably call it quits for the night.

"Gee says you're not happy here," Mikey says quietly.

Frank sighs. He's known for years that anything Gerard knows Mikey will know soon enough but he figured Mikey would just let it lie. The way Gerard did after the second day.

He shrugs.

"It's not my kind of place, dude," Frank says.

Mikey pokes a skinny finger into Frank's side.

"Tell me what's really bothering you."

"Fuck, dude. It's a lot of things," Frank says, "It's just weird here. The traffic, the weather…"

"The weather?" Mikey repeats, one eyebrow raised. "It's been 70 degrees the whole time you've been here."

"That's exactly it," Frank says. "It's February, it's not supposed to be 70 degrees, Mikey. It's supposed to be cold. You're supposed to have to wear six layers and pray for snow days."

Mikey smiles and winds an arm around his shoulders pulling him in close.

"I do miss snow days," he says.

Frank feels triumphant somehow.

\-- 

Frank crashes in the guest bedroom and Mikey crawls in next to him. He says he doesn't like sleeping in his room when Alicia's not there and Frank understands. As good as it has been seeing Gee and Lyn and Mikey he can't wait to get back to Jamia and the dogs. Back to good pizza, and roads that make sense, and the right kind of asshole drivers.

"You know what I just realized?" Frank says. They've turned off the lights but Frank can still make out Mikey's face in the moonlight.

"What?"

"You don't have Quick Chek out here. Where do you go when you have a slushie craving at 3am?"

Mikey rolls over to look at him, and he's got that smile he gets when he's trying not to laugh.

"Seriously, these are the things that keep you up at night?" he asks.

"Fuck you," Frank scowls. "I'm just concerned for you assholes is all."

"You can stop with the stupid excuses, I think I've figured out your problem."

"My points are all totally valid so fuck off. They are based in scientific research and sound logic." He's just making up bullshit at this point but he doesn't really care.

"Frankie," Mikey says. "We're not going to change. You know that, right?"

Frank sighs. He wants to say yes, honestly he does. But sometimes -- mostly times when he's actually here and he experiences this toxic place for himself -- he worries.

"We won't," Mikey says. "I won't."

Mikey runs his hand up Frank's arm and rubs at his shoulder. Frank feels at ease for the first time since he landed.

"It's like you think I don't keep a little bit of Jersey with me wherever I go."

Mikey yawns and his eyes flutter closed.

"Keep the faith, Mikeyway," Frank smiles.


End file.
